Small border traffic
As a small border traffic of special rules subject near the border traffic between different is States designated.
General
A legal definition was provided in Section 64 (3) of the “Implementing Regulations for the Law on Statistics on the Movement of Goods with Foreign Countries of August 9, 1928”, according to which, as small border traffic, “the movement of goods in small quantities between residents of the German border district and residents of neighboring foreign countries Border district for the needs of the residents of the border districts ”. As a rule, it is restricted to a group of people who live in defined border zones and is subject to special restrictions when carrying goods and objects. The exact scope of border traffic is determined by bilateral agreements. According to German law, border crossings that are only permitted for small border traffic, as well as cross-border hiking trails, are not referred to as border crossings .
There are examples of small border traffic for the German Reich and Austria (1933–1938), the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic , Austria and Yugoslavia or Slovenia (1953–1993) as well as Poland and the Czech Republic .
Close-border traffic between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic
In 1972 a transport agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic was ratified. An additional protocol contained “Information from the GDR on travel facilitation”. The contract, signed in Berlin on May 26, 1972, entered into force on October 17, 1972. Every resident of the Federal Republic of Germany who had his main residence in the cities and districts listed as “close to the border” was entitled to travel. It was only possible to visit the areas of the GDR that were listed individually as "border districts of the GDR (urban and rural districts)" (see below), with the exception of certain communities and districts located near the border. It was allowed to stay 30 days a year with a maximum of nine visiting days in a quarter. Both relatives and acquaintances could be visited, but trips for purely tourist reasons were also allowed. Entry had to take place at the crossing point that was closest to the place of visit. The entry visa was issued at the inner-German border . The passport and the "multiple authorization certificate", which had to be applied for four to six weeks in advance, had to be presented. The immigrant received application forms for authorization certificates from his local authority. Young people under the age of 16 were only allowed to enter the country when accompanied by an adult. A visa fee of 5.00 DM was due for each day's stay. In addition, a minimum exchange of 25.00 German marks for 25.00 GDR marks (as of 1980), which was not redeemable, was required. Only objects worth 20.00 GDR marks were allowed to be carried free of charge when leaving the country.
The departure had to take place on the same calendar day as the entry, later 2-day visits were also possible.
Transitions of the border traffic in the Federal Republic and the GDR
Transitions by train
Transitions for motor vehicles
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Omnibus commuting
At the road crossing points for motor vehicles (with the exception of the Gudow / Zarrentin, Helmstedt / Marienborn and Rudolphstein / Hirschberg motorway crossings), a shuttle service was also set up on both sides of the border. The buses of the transport companies from the federal territory were only allowed to drive as far as the turning loop or service station behind the respective border crossing point in the GDR. Handling was also carried out in the West German buses. Then the GDR shuttle buses continued from here. It was also possible to continue from the border crossing by taxi or to be picked up by relatives or friends.
Cities and districts of the German-German border traffic
Federal Republic
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GDR
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(As of March 1989)
The large cities of Hamburg and Hanover were not included in the small border traffic until later, as the GDR obviously feared too many visitors.
The districts of Seehausen, Kalbe and Tangerhütte belonged to the area near the border, but in 1989 no longer existed.
Small border traffic between Poland and Russia
There existed a small border traffic between some districts of the Polish provinces Masuria and Pomerania and the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast . The regulation came into force on July 27, 2012. After almost 4 years, the Polish Foreign Ministry suspended it until further notice on July 4, 2016. No end date has been announced for the suspension of local border traffic.
A visa is not required there to cross the border. All that is needed is a document that enables its owner to participate in local border traffic. A stay of up to 30 days in the neighboring country is permitted. Within half a year, counting from the first day of entry, you may stay in the area covered by small border traffic for a maximum of 90 days.
Areas of the Polish-Russian border traffic
Poland
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Russia
- Kaliningrad Oblast
Web links
- 13th Braunau Contemporary History Days Small Border Traffic 2004 ( Memento from March 31, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- Information and interviews with contemporary witnesses on the subject of small border traffic ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Otto Anselmino / Adolf Hamburger, Commentary on the Law on Traffic with Narcotics , 1931, p. 337
- ↑ Federal Law Gazette No. 177/1993
- ↑ a b Small border traffic between Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast
- ↑ Small border traffic with Kaliningrad suspended since Monday | Warmian-Masurian Journal. In: ermland-masuren-journal.de. Retrieved December 18, 2016 .